Spinal epidural lipomatosis

@bernice1964 Hello and welcome to Connect. I am a spine surgrey patient and had a cervical fusion. Seeing a spine specialist was a good decision for these symptoms that you have. Sometimes symptoms that can be recognized as lumbar spine issues may also come from pelvic dysfunction called Lumbar plexus compression syndrome that can produce similar symptoms if there is no physical spine condition causing them. Did your doctor order imaging studies to look for structural spine problems?

Here is a link that can explain these kinds of problems which was written for physical therapists.
https://mskneurology.com/identify-treat-lumbar-plexus-compression-syndrome-lpcs/
May I ask what the diagnosis was? Did the doctor advise anything other than weight loss such as physical therapy? Will you be following up from time to time on your progress?

Jennifer

Yes, I had a MRI. When I went in for consult after MRI, he told me it was the worst spinal epidural lipomatosis he had seen. Not sure how many he has seen prior to me. He was very concentrated on my weight, wanted me to see endocrinologist for hormone testing. When I contacted endocrinologist, they would not see me for what he had ordered. I’m not opposed to losing weight, I realize this will help many things. I’m just in so much pain with standing, walking and sitting. I’m most comfortable lying on my left side to relieve pressure. After spine dr consulted with my MD, he agreed to do a steroid shot in my back, reluctantly. His office told me the shot could make my condition worse. I’m unsure of what to do!

I had a cervical spine fusion (2-level) done at Mayo Clinic Rochester in April, 2019. I also have severe stenosis in my lumbar spine. In January of 2023, I saw my surgeon’s PA who ordered MRIs and other tests. I also have been diagnosed with spinal epidural lipomatosis and told to lose weight and I have managed to lose ten pounds. What really helped with the pain was a foraminal steroid injection and a course of physical therapy.

Thank you for the info!!! I’ll be scheduling the shot come Monday morning. They told me the shot could make it worse!

I meant shot!! Whoops:)

I liked it! Please know that a foraminal steroid injection is NOT the same as an epidural steroid injection. The epidural tends to have worse side effects. I have had epidural steroid injections in the past. The foraminal took less time and really helped!

I’m gonna ask when I make the appointment exactly what kind of shot they will be doing. Thank you for clarifying the difference for me. I’m also going to ask about PT as well! I want some relief!! Dr is so focused on my weight, which I’m not opposed to losing weight at all. I need to lose about 50 lbs. Has your weight loss helped with this?

Oops. No worries, @bernice1964. I fixed the typo. 🙂

Can you explain the difference in the shots to me please? If I google, I go down a rabbit hole! I’m trying to inform myself before I call dr on Monday:)

My weight loss of ten pounds has helped but I have more to lose. Definitely a journey!

Epidural steroid injection involves a procedure in which steroids and a local anesthetic are injected into the epidural space around the spinal cord.

Foraminal steroid injections are injections into the intervertebral foramen. The foramen are the openings where nerve endings leave the spinal cord to travel to other parts of the body.
Foraminal steroid injections are also known as transforaminal injections.